When In Doubt
by NoteEmmy
Summary: Shaada prays to find guidance in such a dark time. It's a terrible shame that the Thief King is the one to answer his call.


It had become an extremely turbulent time in Egypt. A new face of war had unceremoniously thrown itself upon the Pharaoh's doorstep proclaiming this and that. The Court, as always, was poised to stand behind him all the way. They would not give in to this threat; not this one, the next, or the one after. People would always be after the crown, after death and blood, but Egypt would remain strong. The Pharaoh would come through with his Court behind and his warriors and armies behind that. They would face this and they would emerge victorious.

To give in to the rumors that were now circulating throughout the air would be a foolish thing to do. But even a loyal servant of the Pharaoh was going to be susceptible to a slightly weakened heart. It did no one well to see the previous Pharaoh's body dragged into the throne room. The fact that the man behind it seemed to have gotten away did no one any favors, either. People were restless. Some demanded justice. The Pharaoh in charge was young, this was true, and now some were beginning to question his state of mind.

Or was it that they were questioning his state of allegiance?

Shaada had since locked himself in one of the temples to pray for guidance. Any kind. He needed it, badly. Weak as this maneuver was, he couldn't find it in himself to stop. He absolutely did not believe there was such malevolence behind the crown or its passing. ...he couldn't. He didn't want to, but the thoughts were overwhelming him now. He wanted to do away with them, no matter the cost. Whether it be paid in blood or soul, he just needed to have a clear heart and mind so that he could fight with his Pharaoh and his armies as he was meant to do.

On his knees in front of one of the deities of the temple, he begged rather than prayed. He begged to be shown the right way. He begged to be cleared and for his soul not to feel so weighted. Atem had been a good leader, and as far as he remembered, so had his father before him. Egypt had never been more prosperous. But had that time of peace really been hinged on the blood of so many? How could that really be a true reign? How could that be acceptable?

Did Atem know more than he was letting on?

The man's hands tightened as these thoughts plagued him. He wanted desperately for them to leave. For just one moment, a quiet, solitary and weak moment, Shaada wished he could be a blind follower, rather than a man of logic.

Was that what this Pharaoh demanded?

"You have the answer in the palm of your hand and yet you are uselessly wasting your time praying to Gods that don't care about you." A cruel and harsh voice spoke from a window just to the right.

Shaada was on his feet immediately, clutching at the Key that he had been entrusted with upon Pharaoh Atem's choosing of his Sacred Court. The enemy was here? "How foolish of you to grant me such ease of access to your death!" He cried, taking all of his frustration out on the one man who had caused it.

The Thief jumped down from the window but leaned so casually against the sill. He seemed to be unbothered by the man's cries of war. He was here on a mission, after all. Despite the tug in his soul and the feeling of himself falling to pieces under a much stronger power, he would get what he wanted. He would be strong enough to overcome this and take what was his right. "You are begging for guidance, are you not?" It was a weak thing to do. All of Atem's court was. Atem was.

Pitiful, pathetic little Pharaoh.

Shaada grit his teeth in a low growl. "You will be begging for mercy!" With that he raised his arm, DiaDhank at the ready. "Zelua! At the ready!" The giant bird beast was summoned in a flash of light, though the man had still refused to let go of his grip on the Key.

A cold smirk was directed at the man. He could crush that monster so easily. He wanted to, in fact. Badly. But he had other business here. "You were entrusted with an item that can see into the very heart and soul of whomever you wish." He continued calmly, taking one step closer.

Predictably, the Priest did not call an attack though he had many opportunities to do so. Instead his head turned to the side with a scoff. "Is that what you are after? My item?" He had heard from Isis that all of the Items were a very key aspect of this. The murder somehow revolved around them- and they would be collected by one person. Probably the Thief. His clutch on the Key became that much greater, as if he was challenging the man to come closer and pry it out of his grip.

"_**Yes**_." The answer was venomous, hissed like that of a snake and the Thief's eyes narrowed darkly. "But right now I can offer you a very simple answer. You worry about your Pharaoh's intentions, do you not? Then **use** it on **him**."

It was obvious that Shaada had at least had this thought pass his mind once by the guilty tilt away of his face. Yes, he had thought about turning the Key to his Pharaoh's mind and seeing just what was inside of that man. It would be easy. It would also mean death. It would mean he was a traitor. It would mean he didn't trust his leader.

The Thief grinned. "Ah_aaa_h, I thought so." He stepped closer still. "**So**** do ****it**." He ordered.

It was enough to jar the Priest out of his shamed thoughts and direct the key at the other man instead. "You have no right to order me about!"

"_**I**__** HAVE**__** EVERY**__** RIGHT**_." The Thief seemed to be losing what ever was left of his sanity. It caused Shaada to reel back slightly, suddenly scared. "I have _**every**_ right and they will _**all**_ be mine, you wait and see. _But __until__ that__ time__** I**_ need this one in particular. If you are too cowardly to make sure your _**Pharaoh**_ isn't as murderous as you think him to be, _**I**_ will step in and show you how wrong you all _**ARE**_."

Shaada stepped back further, his monster stepping in front of him, responding to his master's sudden fear. They were dealing with a very deranged man, that much was clear. They'd known that. But the true extent of that was absolutely terrifying. This was a man on a mission. And Shaada knew then that this battle would end with the very same blood that the Thief had said it started with.

Unless he could end it right now and kill the man.

"Zelua! Attack!"

The Thief smirked and seemed to easily dodge back from the claws aimed at him. He moved back towards the window sill, hanging on the very edge while he directed a very pointed and heated look at the Priest. The seeds of doubt had been planted. He would infect the Pharaoh's pathetic court one by one until they all turned on him.

Either that or he'd kill them all. But revenge seemed to taste so much sweeter if that damned Pharaoh was left by all those he trusted. And he was sure that once Shaada checked inside that tiny mind and soul of the Pharaoh's and saw what a murderer he was, the man would be left to waste. "Come come _**Shaada,**_"

The way the man said his name had the Priest shivering with disgust. "This will end sooner than you think." He promised.

"_**Shaaaada**__** Shaada...**_ you're already _mine._" And with that the man let go of his grip, tumbling to the sands below and taking off.

It left the Priest collapsing to his knees, trembling fingers holding his Key. He pulled it close to his chest, almost tempted to use it on himself now, in penance for getting so caught up in this. Could he rearrange his own soul? Could he make himself a better man by force?

He didn't know anymore. He was alone and scared and left with doubts.

His Pharaoh deserved better. And no matter what it took, even if by his death alone, he would prove to be every bit the useful man Atem had seen in him when he'd been chosen.

"I-...I promise, Pharaoh."


End file.
